Wankhede row: SRK wants apology, says he was abused!

By Hindustan Times

Bollywood actor and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday hit out at reports that he was drunk and misbehaved with officials at the Wankhede stadium and said that he deserved an apology. "They should apologise to me," Shah Rukh told reporters. He alleged that the staff at the stadium on Wednesday night was high handed and that they misbehaved with children including little girls.

"It won't change my life if I am not allowed into the stadium," SRK said.

He said: "Yes, I was abusing as they were insulting me. I will not deny the fact that I abused, was provoked when someone abused me in Marathi."

Shah Rukh Khan on Thursday faced a lifetime ban from entering the Wankhede Stadium after allegedly turning up drunk at the ground and misbehaving with security guards and cricket officials.

The incident took place on Wednesday night after his team beat Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League match at the stadium.

Shah Rukh and his entourage wanted to celebrate after the presentation ceremony but he was not allowed to do so, officials said. He allegedly misbehaved with an elderly guard and pushed him. When Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) officials intervened, he is said to have abused them.

"This is a grave matter. I have called for an urgent meeting and we shall discuss the matter following which we will decide the future course of action," Union minister and MCA president Vilasrao Deshmukh said.

A decision on a lifetime ban would be taken only after the meeting of all members from the managing committee of MCA next week, MCA Joint Secretary Nitin Dalal said.

Giving details, MCA treasurer Ravi Sawant said: "He pushed the security guard and misbehaved with him. He also used bad language with security officials. When we tried to intervene, he yelled out expletives at us."

Sawant said Shah Rukh, flanked by his bodyguards, went to the players' dressing rooms to congratulate them. He then came down and started going towards the ground.

"When the security personnel told him that he cannot do so, he abused the guard and his men manhandled the security personnel."

Assistant Commissioner of Police Iqbal Shaikh agreed that the actor was drunk and said police were looking into the matter.

"Shah Rukh was drunk. He was smelling of alcohol but he was not drinking at the Wankhede stadium. But it is not an offence. He was also abusing and threatening the MCA and BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) officials," said Sheikh.

What irked Shah Rukh was that MCA officials switched off the floodlights.

Sheikh, who is also a member of the MCA managing committee, was present at the ground on match duty and had to rush to prevent the situation from turning ugly.

"I took him out and separated him because the incident was turning ugly. While being taken away he was showering abuses on MCA and BCCI officials. We are investigating the matter," said Sheikh.

MCA filed a complaint with Mumbai's Marine Drive police station.

As the controversy swirled, IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla said a decision would be taken only after getting the versions of all those involved.

"So far no decision has been taken on the ban," Shukla, who is also vice president of BCCI, said in New Delhi.

He added that he would be talking to the MCA as well as Shah Rukh.

The scuffle is unwelcome news for the star, who was in the spotlight in January this year for slapping director Shirish Kunder at a party hosted by Sanjay Dutt.

Shah Rukh's colleagues in Bollywood appeared to be strangely quiet at this latest controversy with no immediate reactions.